High Calibers 2009 NFL Mock Draft 2.0

Here is Mock Draft 2.0, this takes into account the Jay Cutler trade and the affect it can have on the rest of the draft.

1. Detroit Lions, Matt Stafford, QB, UGA Bulldogs- The Detroit Lions are in a situation where any position that they draft can be an upgrade to what they currently have. The offensive line is just about as weak as the defensive line, which Matt Millen brilliantly deteriorated by trading mammoth nose tackle Shaun Rogers to Cleveland for Leigh Bodden, the same Leigh Bodden whom was released earlier in the off season. The lone bright spot on the team is linebacker Ernie Sims, but how much longer can an awful team hold on to star players for. What I am trying to say is that the Lions are just bad and that it is time to start over and how does a team start over your asking, it’s quite simple, by drafting their new franchise quarterback. Stafford is a pocket passer with a cannon where there should be an arm, as for his accuracy, it has been questioned but most NFL scouts believe that he has what it takes to make it at the next level. Barring a trade for Jay Cutler (which Josh McDaniels has now denied) Matt Stafford will be the number one draft choice.

2. St. Louis Rams, Jason Smith, Baylor Bears- The Rams are looking to start rebuilding their franchise from the ground up. The release of the oft injured Orlando Pace and the geriatric Torry Holt further proves the point. So who does St. Louis take to begin the rebuilding process? I still believe that Marc Bulger can be a good quarterback in the league, he just needs to stop getting sacked so often. Steven Jackson showed flashes of domination near the end of the season and there really is no great running back to take this early. With Michael Crabtree suffering a foot injury and not recording a 40 yard time he is seen as a liability at number two overall, add to the fact that there is pretty good depth at the receiver position and that Jake Long did not slip to them in last years draft this looks like it will be an offensive tackle. With Michael Oher not looking like a top ten prospect anymore, this choice is between Jason Smith and Eugene Monroe. Jason Smith tore it up at the combine and has the speed to get out in the open and block the run as well which fits the Rams scheme perfectly.

3. Kansas City Chiefs, Aaron Curry, LB, Wake Forest Demon Deacons- Well the Chiefs have their quarterback of the future, now they just need to fill in the holes around him. However, the huge news in KC is the transition to a 3-4 defence and we all know thanks to John Madden that the best offense is a great defense. Glenn Dorsey may not be a perfect fit at nose tackle but the Chiefs cannot give up on him after one year. As far as the secondary is concerned there is no one good enough to take at number three which leaves the linebackers and the defensive ends. If the Chiefs figure out that Tamba Hali wasn’t a good fit at RE and throw him back over to his natural LE position then linebacker is the way to go, and the one guy that everyone wants at linebacker is Aaron Curry. Curry is the defensive playmaker that KC needs and has needed for a while he can make an immediate impact on a struggling defense.

4. Seattle Seahawks, Eugene Monroe, OT, Virginia Cavaliers- The Seahawks signed TJ Houshmandzadeh or however you spell his name some what negating the need to risk the fourth overall draft pick on Michael Crabtree. This pick will either be used on a DT or an OT. The Seahawks need to focus on protecting their franchises quarterback which is why I can really only see this pick as an OT. With Jason Smith gone the only logical choice is Eugene Monroe.

5. Cleveland Browns, Brian Orakpo, DE, Texas Longhorns- Eric Mangini… Really…. Mr. Mediocre is coaching the underachieving Browns. Wow. Anyways, mock draft not my personal rifts. Mangini tried to build a team in New York through the secondary, and once again I will say it, there is no talent good enough to take this high. Brandon Pettigrew didn’t do enough at the combine to make himself a top ten selection and I just can’t see Crabtree going here because of the sheer brutality of the Browns defense. So which front seven man goes here. It comes down to between Everette Brown and Brian Orakpo and what it will come down to is the fact that Eric Mangini drafted Vernon Gholston last year and will probably be very cautious about drafting a hybrid player such as Everette Brown. Hence Brian Orakpo goes at number 5.

6. Cincinnati Bengals, BJ Raji, NT, Boston College Eagles- With the top two tackles off the board this becomes a very intriguing situation for the Bengals. What most people seem to be missing is the fact that the Bengals will be getting Keith Rivers back this year negating the need for an OLB and with no proven studs at MLB. The defensive line could stand for an upgrade so why not go with one of the biggest monsters in the draft. BJ Raji is a guy who can decimate the run and has the ability to bring a heavy pass rush, great fit for a team who couldn’t do any of that last year. Yes, BJ Raji has apparently failed a drug test, which pretty much makes him a lock to play for the Bengals.

7. Oakland Raiders, Michael Crabtree, WR, Texas Tech Red Raiders- I don’t even have to explain this pick but I will. Al Michaels loves flashy players and Jamarcus Russell needs a go to guy who can defend himself on the Las Vegas strip and actually make it to training camp, being able to get open and catch a ball would also help the passing attacks chances.

8. Jacksonville Jaguars, Jeremy Maclin, WR, Mizzou Tigers- With BJ Raji off the board the Jags will have to wait until a later round to find a replacement for Marcus Stroud. This is a very good thing as it turns out for Jack Del Rio and his offense because now they can go after a wide receiver to help David Garrard and the passing game. Now although it may be very early Jeremy Maclin may be the missing piece in the Jacksonville puzzle. He has great speed and good hands which is all Garrard will need to kick the offense into the next gear.

9. Green Bay Packers, Everette Brown, DE/OLB, FSU Seminoles- The Packers need someone to get to the quarterback whose name is not Aaron Kampman. But if you’re a defensive coordinator wouldn’t you want to bring in a player who can play at end and at linebacker. Everette Brown is the best player at the position, he is fast, strong and knows how to get to the quarterback.

10. San Francisco 49ers, Mark Sanchez, QB, USC Trojans- Its time for the Niners and Mike Singletary to start thinking about who the next franchise quarterback will be. Mark Sanchez is the best bet at this selection. Sanchez may not have the strongest arm in the quarterback class but he is pretty accurate and has proven that he can produce in big game situations. Mark Sanchez may just be the prayer that SanFran fans may be looking for after the Alex Smith debacle.

11. Buffalo Bills, Aaron Maybin, DE/OLB, Penn State Nittany Lions- Well for the second year in a row the Bills find themselves selecting at number 11. So who will they take this year? Brandon Pettigrew is still outside of his draft range and there are some very good tight ends available later in the draft. The major problems in Buffalo lie in the front seven on the defensive side of the ball. This is the same situation as Green Bay was in, so naturally I have them taking a similar player in Aaron Maybin. Maybin runs the risk of being a one year wonder, but the fact that a 253 pound man can run a sub 4.65 40 is worth that risk. He could take some pressure off of Aaron Schobel and Kawika Mitchell.

12. Denver Broncos, Tyson Jackson, DE, LSU Tigers- The only offensive position I could see being drafted here is running back, however with the way that Denver has been stocking up on running backs I doubt that this happens. Instead I can see Josh McDaniels trying to make Denver as much like New England as possible. Denver has a very small D line as compared to same of the more defensively gifted teams in the league. I never thought of Tyson Jackson as a very good defensive end because I always saw an end as someone who got to the quarterback, but Jackson adds a new dimension, he is a great run stopping end which is exactly what Denver a newly converted 3-4 team needs.

13. Washington Redskins, Michael Johnson, DE, GTech Yellow Jackets- The Redskins are a team that can be good but just needs a little bit of help. Mainly they need some help along the front seven as it seems most teams do in this draft. Michael Johnson is an athletic freak who can get to the quarterback which is something Washington could improve on. Adding a person of Johnson’s talent could help the Redskins in the tough NFC East.

14. New Orleans Saints, Malcolm Jenkins, FS/CB, Ohio State Buckeyes- The Saints should be good on the offensive side of the ball for the first round. Where the Saints are not good however is in the defensive secondary. Now despite all the downside surrounding Malcolm Jenkins I still believe he is the best bet for the Saints. He will most likely play free safety in the pros but could possibly play corner if the Saints need him too.

15. Houston Texans, Brian Cushing, OLB, USC Trojans- Offense, check, defense, not so much. If the Texans ever want to become contenders they need to build a better defence. I mocked Clay Matthews here originally, but I keep waking up in the middle of the night due to the same nightmare…… Brian Cushing hitting me in the open field and making me cry in front of millions of people. Cushing is a versatile player who can step into Reliant Stadium and actually be reliable.

16. San Diego Chargers, Rey Maualuga, MLB, USC Trojans- San Diego is good on offense, the secondary is alright, but once again it’s the front seven that could use some work. With Shawn Merriman returning this season the Chargers will probably target a MLB or a DT and with some depth at DT, Rey Maualuga is the best choice here for the Chargers. A great run stopper and a huge intimidator Maualuga can immediately make a difference for the bolts.

17. New York Jets, Clay Matthews, OLB, USC Trojans- The Jets have an interesting predicament here. There are a number of holes that need to be filled but some positions can be addressed in later rounds. The quarterback position is probably the most pressing position because of the departure (for now at least) of Brett Favre, Josh Freeman is available here but the Jets have invested time and money in Kellen Clemmens and Brett Ratliff, plus the Jets could take a chance and go for WR/QB threat Pat White in a later round. Running back could be a possible pick but there is a lot of depth in this draft. What needs to be taken into account is the hiring of Rex Ryan as the new Jets head coach and coming from a team known for its suffocating defence Ryan will probably try to make his new job just like his last job. So with that being said the position that most needs to be upgraded on the Jets D is the OLB position especially after the whole Vernon Gholston debacle last year, and Clay Matthews is the best backer available at this position.

18. Denver Broncos, Vontae Davis, CB, Illinois Fighting Illini- With pick number two of round number one the Broncos continue the defensive upgrade by bringing in a young corner to learn from Champ Bailey and eventually take over as the teams defensive shut down player. Davis is good but his attitude and work ethic are apparently not as good. Josh McDaniels proved he doesn’t accept poor attitudes so look for Davis to be traded later in the draft.


19. Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Josh Freeman, QB, Kansas State Wildcats- First of all thank you Derrick Ward for making this a much tougher draft choice. Now that Ward has signed it comes down to two positions, quarterback and outside linebacker. The Bucs parted ways with Jeff Garcia and brought back Chris Simms. I’m sorry I just need a minute to figure this out; you release a former Pro Bowl QB, and bring back a QB who you released last year and who has not proven himself as a starter yet. My apologies Mr. Ward this pick is actually very easy. The Bucs need to go with a new QB to usher in the new era in Tampa. Josh Freeman could quite possibly be a good starter in the NFL, there have been some questions about his accuracy but lets not forget that Rex Grossman started in the NFL as well as a Super Bowl. Point made? I think so.

20. Detroit Lions, Andre Smith, OT, Alabama Crimson Tide- This is essentially a no brainer especially with a talent like Smith on the board. If the Lions do snag Matt Stafford at numero uno they need to draft their OT of the future here to protect him and Smith could very well be that guy. His work ethic and attitude could be detrimental especially going to Detroit but that will have to be a risk Detroit takes to get the best OT available.

21. Philadelphia Eagles, Michael Oher, OT, Ole Miss-With this being the first of two picks in the first round for Big Reds boys and a talent like Oher slipping this far the Eagles need to swoop in and grab him (get it like an eagle would). McNabb needs a new guy to block for him in the future not Winston “Swiss Cheese” Justice.

22. Minnesota Vikings, Alex Mack, C, Cal Golden Bears- Now call me crazy but I like the Vikings secondary, so it’s tough for me to mock a DB here. The next position of need QB and it just so happens that there is no great talent available at this point. This leaves the interior offensive line. Duke Robinson could be a possibility but with his stock slipping quickly the Vikings will go with Alex Mack especially with Matt Birk not performing up to standards. Mack has great football sense and is a beast in the middle. He can also slip outside to guard if the Vikes decide to keep Matt Birk.

23. New England Patriots, Darius Butler, CB, UConn Huskies- Secondary should be the theme here for Sweat Suit Billy and the crew. The signing of Fred Smoot is essentially useless, and the secondary showed weakness last year. Darius Butler could be one of the next great Patriots, fast, good ball skills. He may not be as good as Davis or Jenkins but going to a football powerhouse like the Pats he could learn a lot and get better fast.


24. Atlanta Falcons Brandon Pettigrew, TE, Oklahoma State Cowboys- The Atlanta Falcons have replaced Michael Vick, now all they need to do is replace Alge Crumpler. Brandon Pettigrew would be a great fit in Atlanta and could really be a go to guy in Atlanta once teams start doubling up on Roddy White.

25. Miami Dolphins, Alphonso Smith, CB, Wake Forest Demon Deacons- Miami needs defense like Ricky Williams needs to pass his next drug test. James Laurinitis could be a great pick here but with Joey Porter putting up monster numbers the secondary could go for a first round upgrade. Cornerback is the most pressing need in the Dolphins current situation. Alphonso Smith was part of a pretty good defense and has the abilities that the Dolphins need to bring back their secondary.

26. Baltimore Ravens, Percy Harvin, WR, Florida Gators- Joe Flacco has surprised me; I didn’t think he would last ten snaps in the NFL, mostly because I didn’t think he would be able to see through that jungle of a unibrow. But now that he has proven that he can in fact see through it he is going to need a receiver to throw the ball to. Percy Harvin is a great wide receiver that can also bring an added dimension to the running game.

27. Indianapolis Colts, Peria Jerry, DT, Ole Miss Rebels- The Colts are a team that can beat any team in the NFL, as long as they don’t have to face a team with a good running game. Hence the selection of Peria Jerry. A lot of mocks have a wide receiver going here, but the wide receiver pool is a lot deeper than the defensive tackle pool and if Jerry does fall to 27 the Colts should not even hesitate to take him.

28. Philadelphia Eagles, Robert Ayers, DE, Tennessee Volunteers- The Eagles need to think about the D Line here. Robert Ayers is the best guy available, he is flying up draft boards and proved at the combine that he can play with the big boys.


29. New York Giants, Darrius Heyward-Bey, WR, Maryland Terrapins - The Giants proved that their offense struggles when they don’t have Plaxico Burress in the line up, so with Plax gone Eli Manning is going to need a new wide out. Darrius Heyward-Bey may officially become the King of the Combine with the performance he turned in. There will not be a talent like DHB at the bottom of round 2 so the Giants need to grab him here.

30. Tennessee Titans, James Laurinaitis, MLB, Ohio State Buckeyes- The Titans picked up Nate Washington in free agency negating the need for a wide receiver in round 1. One player that I think the Titans could reach for here as an upgrade is James Laurinaitis. Laurinaitis is a great talent who played amazing for Ohio State and could help out the Tennessee Titans defense.

31. Arizona Cardinals, Chris Wells, RB, Ohio State Buckeyes- The Cardinals must take Chris Wells here if by some chance he actually does fall this far, no questions asked. The Cards need a compliment runner to Tim Hightower and Wells could be that guy.

32. Pittsburgh Steelers, Duke Robinson, OG, Oklahoma Sooners- The Steelers must protect Ben Roethlisberger and keep the running backs healthy. Duke Robinson comes from a school that knows a thing or two about protecting the running back. Robinson is the best interior linemen available and could be an immediate upgrade to what the Steelers have right now.

Go... Oilers?

It seems at least a couple times every year I find myself in a tough predicament. Although I have my loyalty as a Flames fan, every now and then the Flames are able to benefit with a win by their most hated rivals. No time more important than tonight.

With the 9th place, 36-33-9 Oilers taking on the surging 3rd place 42-25-10 Canucks, the Flames have never needed the provincial rivals so badly. An Edmonton win tonight puts the Flames right back into the Northwest Division lead and takes away Vancouver's game in hand, placing the Flames' playoff destiny squarely in their own hands with four games remaining.

A Vancouver win, on the other hand, means the Canucks face a fairly easy road to the division title. With games remaining only against the 15th place Avalanche (twice), the 14th place Kings, and the Flames, these extra two points could be what separates Calgary and Vancouver by mid-April.

Which brings me back to my predicament... I can't stand the Oilers, I spend all season laughing at their every downfall. Through text messaging owners and poorly advised stick measurements, I truly love to see these guys fail. Now I'm cheering for them in a game that will keep their dim playoff hopes alive, and I'm not sure how to feel about this. But the enemy of my enemy is my friend, so Go Oilers!

...at least tonight, let's hope Mac T's bunch of bumbling idiots return for the home and home series April 10th and 11th.


SP